Refret Fender Coronado or Not?

[billyguitar]

While you're getting it refretted ask the luthier how much to refinish the back. You'll be upside down in it so just resign to keep it and use it.

[Drak]

I always looked at it like without a great neck, the rest of the guitar is just a wall-hangar, nothing else means much of anything w/o a great feeling and playing neck.

Have it re-fretted.

[erikzen]

Originally Posted by billyguitar

While you're getting it refretted ask the luthier how much to refinish the back. You'll be upside down in it so just resign to keep it and use it.

In for a dime, in for a dollar!

[erikzen]

Any opinion on what size fret wire to use? I think I'm most used to the medium jumbo size frets but a smaller size might be more period correct. Then again jumbo frets might give it more sustain.

[AcornHouse]

Originally Posted by erikzen

Any opinion on what size fret wire to use? I think I'm most used to the medium jumbo size frets but a smaller size might be more period correct. Then again jumbo frets might give it more sustain.

Since you're going to have a player, not a collector, get the fret size that you like; don't worry about being period correct. If you're used to the medium jumbos, and like them, then I'd say go with them.

[jb4674]

I'd get it refretted with SS frets.

Looks like the original paint is still under the black paint, so why not try to remove it and restore it to its original color?

[erikzen]

Originally Posted by jb4674

I'd get it refretted with SS frets.

Looks like the original paint is still under the black paint, so why not try to remove it and restore it to its original color?

Yes, you can see red paint under the black in some spots where it's chipped off. I did consider having it refinished at one point but thought it wasn't worth it since it wouldn't affect playing or sound. I'm reconsidering.

[Whiskeyrebel]

I'll be the odd man out here and suggest that you see if you can get a replacement neck for less than the price of a refret. Do the heel dimensions and screw hole pattern match up with any other guitars?

[erikzen]

Originally Posted by Whiskeyrebel

I'll be the odd man out here and suggest that you see if you can get a replacement neck for less than the price of a refret. Do the heel dimensions and screw hole pattern match up with any other guitars?

I could be willing to take this route but would a new neck really be cheaper? I suppose I would use the same tuners for the new neck so no additional cost there.

Where would you recommend getting a new neck from? Could I buy one from Wamroth and if so anybody know which style would be applicable? Strat, Tele, Jazz, etc.? Where else could I buy a neck?

If I use the "neck builder" on the Wamroth site, for a maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and clear satin finish, the cost comes to between $250 and $275 depending on style, before tax and shipping. That includes a clear satin nitro finish. All other options were pretty much standard. If I had my choice though I'd probably want a bound neck to match the body ($110), a vintage tinted nitro satin finish (+$30) and trapezoid inlays (+$90). That would bring the cost to over $500 which is not in the cards.

Where else would you recommend getting a neck from?

When you figure in that the neck needs to be attached and the guitar would still need a proper setup, I think it would come to about the same price. I could possibly put it together myself but it's not something I have expertise with and if I'm going to spend upwards of $250 for a new neck then I'll probably want to pay to have it expertly installed and set up. So I'm probably looking at $350 all said and done, approximately the same price as a fret job.

On the plus side, I'd have a brand new neck with new frets all ready to be worn in by me.

On the negative side, the guitar may not play the same and I would not have the appointments of the current neck, such as the binding and the inlays, not to mention the naturally aged finish.

Edit: Forgot to mention finding an existing used neck in good shape. That is certainly a possibility if the dimensions match up. I'll have to look at that. I certainly would want something close to new though, without any issues of its own.

[Whiskeyrebel]

Carvin has a neck builder with a mess of inlay, neck wood, fingerboard wood, finish, headstock shape, radius and fret options. They start at $159. They don't offer binding or Fender headstock shape but they have 8 others plus blank undrilled paddle. They also don't explicitly show the profile cross section or dimensions.

The other option would be to find a secondhand Fender neck from a different model guitar from someone who parted out or customized their guitar.

For that matter it would not need to be a Fender neck. I find Peavey necks way more comfortable than Fender necks but that's just me.

Doesn't even need the same 25.5" scale if the bridge floats. That would make it easier to get a bound neck if that floats your boat.

[Aldo-Fornasiero]

Crazy, I've been thinking the last couple of days about whether to re-fret my '67 Coronado II! Hahaha, I'm eventually going to do it, I know never say never (Quote - Justin Beiber, you can tell from his long-life experiences and all-knowing wisdom it just HAS to be true) but I really don't think I'll ever resell this guitar, it's got too much mojo and sentimental value.

So I'm going to focus on keeping it to the highest playing-condition I can, even if it means it's not 100% original; it is a great guitar after all. I'm also having the electronics completely cleans up and 3 of the pot's replaced, the nut replaced, the neck re-set and a general MOT. Don't get me wrong, it's still plays great, but there is room for improvement regardless

And they say maintaining a car is expensive...

[sleep]

I'm going to disagree. The OP mentioned he liked the feel of the guitar... after the refret it won't feel the same. I would say that with regard to feel, the frets are the soul of the guitar. Right now the OP has a guitar he likes. The refret could make that into a guitar he doesn't like.

The previous poster who suggested a new neck offered a non-destructive, reversible solution.

[Whiskeyrebel]

How low would they be after a crown and level, rather than replacing them completely?

[erikzen]

There doesn't seem to be enough material left to do a fret leveling and crowning.

[erikzen]

OK, now I'm looking for recommendations to do the work. I live in the NY metro area, in Westchester County and work on Long Island, so I could go to NYC, Long Island, Westcheter or even Fairfield pretty conveniently. A couple people have PMed me with suggetions but the more the merrier.